CVE-2002-0630 in Viewstation
Summary
by MITRE
The Telnet service for Polycom ViewStation before 7.2.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via long or malformed ICMP packets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0630 affects the Telnet service implementation within Polycom ViewStation devices running firmware versions prior to 7.2.4. This issue represents a classic example of insufficient input validation where the system fails to properly handle malformed network traffic. The vulnerability specifically targets the ICMP packet processing mechanism within the Telnet service component, creating a pathway for remote attackers to disrupt service availability. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with weak error handling and buffer management practices that were prevalent in network service implementations during the early 2000s. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of denial of service attacks that exploit protocol implementation weaknesses rather than cryptographic flaws.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of ICMP packet structures when processed by the Telnet service daemon. When malformed or excessively long ICMP packets are received, the system's packet parsing routine fails to properly sanitize input data before processing. This leads to memory corruption or stack overflow conditions that cause the Telnet service to terminate unexpectedly. The vulnerability specifically impacts the network protocol handling layer where ICMP packets are interpreted and processed in the context of Telnet service operations. The flaw represents a failure in defensive programming practices where input boundaries are not properly enforced, allowing malicious data to trigger abnormal program termination states.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential system instability and availability concerns for Polycom ViewStation deployments. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness without requiring authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where these devices may be exposed to untrusted networks. The denial of service condition affects not only the Telnet service itself but can potentially impact other network services running on the same device platform. This vulnerability creates opportunities for attackers to disrupt critical communication infrastructure, especially in enterprise or teleconferencing environments where Polycom devices serve as primary communication endpoints. The attack vector operates at the network protocol level, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent through traditional network monitoring approaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates to version 7.2.4 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the ICMP packet validation issues. Network administrators should implement ingress filtering to limit ICMP traffic from untrusted sources and consider deploying network access control lists to restrict communication paths to affected devices. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service and CWE-129 for improper validation of array indices. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify unusual ICMP traffic patterns and establish monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of network infrastructure components and proactive vulnerability management practices are essential to prevent similar issues from affecting other legacy systems within the organization's network ecosystem.